Thursday, December 06, 2012

Echoes from the Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards 2012

There comes a
moment in a man’s life when he is 100% convinced that his chosen career is one
that he has been irrevocably bound to by the chains of destiny - For the founder
of the Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA), Kazeem Popoola, the 2012
edition of the event encapsulated that moment.

The exquisite
hall within NECA HOUSE situated within the Alausa district in Ikeja, Lagos
played host to the event and of course, it was a night with memories that would
outlive all who attended the event especially those who returned home with
plaques; a monument of honour and prestige from the event.

Of course, there
was no way the venue could be packed full to the brim. It was a Sunday and I
recall leaving the venue an hour before midnight; even when I knew I had less
than five hours of sleep left for the night. Majority of those who waited as
long I did at the event were either still hopeful of winning a plaque or just
strangely decided to see the event till the very end.

There were a lot
of winners indeed and the smile on their faces as well as their tight grip on
the plaques in their hands told the entire story without using words.

Bearing in mind
that nominees can only win once in three years, the event certainly hit a
vibrant note on the sheets of credibility as this explained why the names of
some popular On-Air-Personalities, TV and radio programmes were missing from this
year’s list of nominees.

The online
voting system, research and agency report used in determining the winners this
year further strengthened the event’s wall of integrity.

Another
remarkable spot on the event’s score sheet was the fusion of Freeze, Yeahcah
and Toni Payne as hosts for the event – Flanked by two gorgeous women, Freeze
kept the audience on their toes with his suave performance and the freshness of
his entertaining gimmicks.

A sizeable
number of young artistes, comedian and ‘Semiloge Couture’ filled in some of the
blank spots with the fashion parade and performances.

Treading
cautiously, I would implore Nigerian celebrities to put some effort in getting
familiar with Nigerian electronic media establishments and
On-Air-Personalities. If someone like General Pype had taken cognisance of
this, perhaps, he wouldn’t have mounted the stage, grabbed the microphone and
embarrassingly announced ‘James Bond FM’ as a nominee instead of ‘Bond FM.’

The presence of
celebrities like Laide Bakare, Yinka Davies, She Baby, General Pype and many
others also ensured that the event didn’t lose out on the page of razzmatazz
and colour.

It was also
impressive to see that the event had shed the garb of a club gig with which it
was originally conceived in 2008 to embrace a more formal shade to recognise
and honour more personalities and platforms on the Nigerian electronic media
terrain.

In all, the bar
was raised and a thumbs up for the brains behind the event as we keep an eye on
the next edition of the show as well as the initiator’s latest baby, ‘Airwaves
Watch’ as it gradually gains momentum.